The new NBA All-Star Game format will see each conference’s leading vote-getter assemble a lineup from proficient veterans and newcomers alike.

The NBA has announced the 24 players who’ll be All-Stars this season, but we still don’t know which players will be playing for which team. That mystery will be solved Thursday, when the league announces the rosters after captains LeBron James and Stephen Curry make their selections in a secret draft.

LA Clippers head coach Doc Rivers and Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau believe the NBA should expand its All-Star rosters to 15 players on each side and would like to see the All-Star Game draft televised.

Here are the rules LeBron James and Stephen Curry will follow when drafting the 2018 NBA All-Star teams … everything from draft order to why the draft will not be televised.

1 Related

Despite calls from fans, coaches and even some players for the league to televise the draft — or at least make the pick order public after the fact — the league hasn’t budged from its stance that the All-Star draft will be conducted in private. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun.

Using the same rules that James and Curry will follow when they draft, we’ve picked our teams from the pool of players to recreate what might be happening behind closed doors. For those unfamiliar with the rules of the draft, here’s a quick refresher:

As the top vote-getter among the starters, LeBron James will serve as one captain and will have the first overall pick.

Stephen Curry, the top vote-getter from the Western Conference, will serve as the other captain and pick second.

The picks will alternate until all eight players voted in as starters by the fans, media and players have been selected.

When the draft moves on to picking from the reserves, the order will reverse. Curry will pick first, followed by James.

The captains do not need to meet any positional quotas when filling out their rosters. Curry himself has joked that he might pick nothing but guards.

Since James and Curry are a bit busy with games Tuesday night, we turned to our writers to step in for them and make their draft picks. Chris Forsberg will play the role of Curry, while Kevin Arnovitz will act as James and make the first overall pick.

On to the draft!

LeBron James and Stephen Curry will face off once again when they pick rosters for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game. David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Drafting the starters

Arnovitz: An All-Star Game MVP in 2012, Durant has a rightful claim as the best player on the board. And a team that can feature either LeBron or KD for 48 minutes should be indomitable. Durant said Tuesday morning about potentially playing against Curry, “I’m prepared to switch out on Steph in the pick-and-roll, force him to the rim and block his shot.”

Forsberg: Tasked with defending a LeBron/Durant combination, Team Curry needs Antetokounmpo’s length and motivation to shine on a big stage. More importantly, Curry ensures he doesn’t get dunked on by the Greek Freak two years in a row.

Forsberg: Curry probably doesn’t desire to see Harden on the other side of the ball again this season (well, at least until the Western Conference finals). Adding six-time All-Star Harden gives Team Curry serious scoring firepower in the backcourt.

Forsberg: Toronto would (politely) rage if word got out that both Lowry and DeRozan were default final picks among starters and reserves. Team Stephen prevents that issue by snagging a heck of a player to cap an already loaded backcourt.

Arnovitz: If the Spurs big man represents the bottom of the barrel in an All-Star selection process, it’s fair to say that the NBA in 2018 is in a very good place.

The Rosters

2018 NBA All-Star Mock Draft – Starters

Team LeBron (Arnovitz)

Team Stephen (Forsberg)

LeBron James

Stephen Curry

Kevin Durant

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Kyrie Irving

James Harden

Joel Embiid

Anthony Davis

DeMarcus Cousins

DeMar DeRozan

2018 NBA All-Star Mock Draft – Reserves

Team LeBron (Arnovitz)

Team Stephen (Forsberg)

Klay Thompson

Draymond Green

Bradley Beal

Russell Westbrook

Damian Lillard

Kristaps Porzingis

Jimmy Butler

Kevin Love

Karl-Anthony Towns

John Wall

Victor Oladipo

Al Horford

LaMarcus Aldridge

Kyle Lowry

Arnovitz: Our Team LeBron is a juggernaut propelled by a few essential features: This generation’s most transcendent wing players, versatile big men who can do it all on the offensive end, and wily shot-making guards who unload without a conscience. On top of that, LeBron and Kyrie are reunited, and it feels so good.

Forsberg: With LeBron and Durant on the opposite side, Team Curry embraces its underdog status but quietly believes it has the perfect balance of talent to compete. Even beyond an embarrassment of MVP-caliber riches in a backcourt that features Curry, Harden, and Westbrook, there’s elite defensive talent coming off the bench in Green, Horford and Davis. More than anything, Team Curry has the motivation needed to excel under the new format.